wfn.org | WCC general secretary congratulates next Archbishop of

["Sheila Mesa" <smm@wcc-coe.org>]

Canterbury

World Council of Churches
Press Release, PR-02-20
For Immediate Use
23 July 2002

WCC general secretary congratulates next Archbishop of
Canterbury

The general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC),
Rev. Dr Konrad Raiser, has today written to the Most Rev. Rowan
Williams, Archbishop of Wales, congratulating him on his
appointment as the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.  

Dr Raiser has acknowledged the considerable gifts of theological
insight, ecumenical commitment and pastoral sensitivity which Dr
Williams will bring to his new office. Raiser also referred
warmly to the book , "Writing in the Dust", which Dr Williams
wrote following the September 11 tragedy in the USA. Raiser
called it a "voice of sanity, clarity and Christian witness in
the midst of confusion and dehumanizing tendencies".  

The full text of the letter follows: 

On behalf of the Officers, Member Churches and staff of the
World Council of Churches, I write to congratulate you on your
call to become the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.  

This call to be both the Primate of the Church of England and
the focus of unity of the Anglican Communion is an onerous one -
as the recent Hurd report indicated only too clearly! However,
you bring the considerable gifts of theological insight,
ecumenical commitment and pastoral sensitivity firmly rooted in a
life of prayer, to the Office. This is a critical time for the
Church, the society and the world as human and humane values seem
to be increasingly distorted, and the challenges of tolerance and
inclusion are actively resisted. Your recent reflections on the
events of the 11th September and its aftermath have been a voice
of sanity, clarity and Christian witness in the midst of
confusion and 
dehumanizing tendencies. In your poetry, you have continually
called society back to community values and the respect of the
individual and the whole of creation. Please be assured of the
prayers of the other Churches as you seek to fulfil your
responsibilities.  

Throughout the twentieth century, leaders in the Church of
England and in the wider Anglican Communion have played a key
role in the life and development of the World Council of
Churches, and I know from your own commitment you would seek to
continue that direction. We therefore look forward to working
with you in the fellowship of Churches which is the World Council
of Churches and learning from you as we continue to seek to be
faithful to our ecumenical vocation.  
  

For further information, please contact Media Relations Office, 
 tel: +41 (0)22 791 64 21

**********
The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches,
now 342, in more than 100 countries in all continents from
virtually all Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is
not a member church but works cooperatively with the WCC. The
highest governing body is the assembly, which meets approximately
every seven years. The WCC was formally inaugurated in 1948 in
Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Its staff is headed by general
secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

World Council of Churches
Media Relations Office
Tel: (41 22) 791 6153 / 791 6421
Fax: (41 22) 798 1346
E-mail: ka@wcc-coe.org 
Web: www.wcc-coe.org 

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